Buckle



(No Model.)

J. F. MOLLOY.

BUCKLE. No. 459,206. Patented Sept. 8,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. MOLLOY, OF NE\V HAY 1i, CONNECTICUT.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 459,206, dated September 8, 1891.

Application filed April 27,1891. Serial No. 390,587. (No model.)

To alZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES F. MOLLOY, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Suspender-Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a View in front elevation of a buckle constructed in accordance with myinvention; Fig. 2, a similar reverse view thereof; Fig. 3, a view of the device in horizontal section on line x w of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a view of the device in vertical section on line y y of the same figure. Fig. 5 is asimilar view with a piece of Suspender-webbing gripped in the buckle to show how the clamping-plate is sprung at such time. Fig. (5 is a broken View in front elevation of a buckle-frame provided with a modified form of my improved clamping-piece.

My invention relates to an improvementin Suspender-buckles, the object being to produce a simple, cheap, and effective device of few parts and very thin and compact, and therefore neat in appearance and comfortable in use.

lVith these ends in view my invention 0011- sists in the combination, with a buckle-frame, of a clamping-piece having sliding connection therewith, and a stationary clampingplate located on the upper portion of the said frame and co-operating with the sliding clamping-piece to grip the web.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a buckle-frame, of a clampingpieee having sliding connection therewith, and constructed with an inwardlyturned gripping-edge, of a stationary clamping-plate located on the upper portion of the said frame and having its inner edge turned inwardly to extend beyond the gripping-edge of the clamping-piece when the same is in its operative position.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a buckle-frame, of a clampingpiece having sliding connection therewith and consisting of a lever having its inner edge turned inward to form a gripping-edge,

and a fulcrum loosely connected with the ends of the buckle-frame and carrying the lever, and a stationary clamping-plate located on the upper portion of the frame and having its inner edge turned inward to co-operate with the corresponding edge of the lever in gripping the web.

My invention further consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

As herein shown, the oblong buckle-frame A and the depending loop B thereof are made from a single piece of wire, the ends whereof are turned inwardly at the upper side of the frame and virtually united by a stationary clamping-plate C,which is thereto constructed with two fingers c c and with two fingers d d, the same being clasped around adjacent portions of the wire. The inner edge of this plate is turned inwardly, as at C, to form a gripping-edge, as will be more fully described later on. A lever D, having its inner edge D turned inward and toothed to form a gripping-edge, is provided at the said edge with two fingers D D by means of which it is pivotally attached to a sliding fulcrum E, consisting of a cross-bar, the ends whereof are clasped around the ends of the frame, so that the said cross-bar may be readily moved back and forth between the opposite sides thereof. The said lever and its fulcrum together form a clampingpiece for co-operation with the said clamping-plate. The inneredge C of the clamping-plate is turned inward, so that it passes beyond the gripping-edge Dof the lever when the same is in its operative position, and there is no webbing between them, as shown by Fig. 4 of the drawings. \Vhen, however, a piece of Suspender-webbing G is drawn bctwen them and the lever is turned down into its operative position, the said edge of the plate will be sprung outwardly, as shown by Fig. 5 of the drawings, and thus maintained in a condition of constant tension, whereby the webbing is very firmly held in place. By locatingthe clamping-plate on the upper portion of the frame the grip on the webbing is tightened in the ratio that the strain on the same is increased, for the reason that the direction of the strain is toward the upper portion of the buckle-frame. Furthermore, when the clamping-plate is constructed and located as described the clamping-piece is prevented from slipping down and releasing the webbing when the same is slackened in tension at a point above the buckle.

If desired, the clamping-piece may consist, simply, of plate A, having its inner or gripping edge turned inward and toothed, as at A and its ends constructed-with fingers A A which are clasped around .the ends of the buckle-frame, so as to permit the said plate to slide thereupon. The clamping-piece, as I use that term, may therefore consist of lever attached to a sliding fulcrum or simply a sliding plate having a gripping-edge.

As herein shown, the buckle is provided with a sheetmetal retaining-spring, closing the open end of the loop; but this spring may be replaced by any other suitable device made of sheet metal or wire. It is not essential that the frame of the buckle be made of wire, as herein shown, although that construction is preferred; nor is it necessary that the gripping-edge of the lever be toothed, although that construction is also preferred, or that the clamping-plate be constructed and applied as herein shown and described, although it will always be located on the upper portion of the frame. Furthermore, it is not essential that the several parts of the buckle be shaped and constructed as herein shown and described, so long as the essential peculiarities mentioned are preserved. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the particular construction and combination of parts herein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations therein as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I am aware that a buckle having a toothed sliding bar is old. I am also aware that a buckle having a sliding clamping-piece consisting of a cross-bar arranged to co-operate with a stationary clamping-plate attached to the lower portion of the buckle-frame is old. I do not, therefore, broadly claim a toothed sliding bar, nor the combination with a sliding clamping-piece and a stationary clamping-plate.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a suspender-buckle, the combination, with an oblong wire frame, of a clampingpiece having sliding connection with the ends thereof and having its inner edge inwardly turned to form a gripping-edge, and a clamping-plate located on the upper portion of the frame, fixed in the plane thereof, and constructed with a spring inwardly-turned inner edge to receive the inwardly-turned inner edge of the clamping-piece under it, substantially as described, and whereby the webbing is laterally clamped between the clampingpiece and the clamping-plate and the former prevented from slipping down and releasing the webbing when the same is slackened in tension at a point above the buckle.

2. In a suspender-buckle, the combination, with an oblong wire frame, of a clampingpieoe having sliding connection with the ends thereof, and constructed with an inwardlyturned gripping-edge, and a clamping-plate located on the upper portion of the frame, fixed in the plane thereof, and constructed with spring inner edge turned to extend inwardly beyond the inner edge of the clamping-piece whenthe said edge of the same has been passed under the yielding edge of the clamping-plate, substantially as described, and whereby the webbin g islaterally clamped between the clampingpiece and the clamp-- ing-plate and the former prevented from slipping down and releasing the Webbing when the same is slackened at a point above the buckle.

3. In a suspender-buckle,the combination,

with a frame, of a clamping-piece having sliding connection therewith and consisting ofa fulcrum and a lever mounted thereon and having an inwardly-turned gripping-edge, and a clamping-plate located on the upper portion of the frame, fixed in the plane thereof, and having an inwardly-turned grippingedge constructed to yield to receive the inner edge of the lever under it, substantially as described, and whereby the webbing is latererally clamped between the clamping-piece and the clamping-plate and the former prevented from slipping down and releasing the webbing when the same is slackened at a point above the buckle.

4. In a suspender-buckle, the combination, with aframe,of a clamping-piece having sliding connection therewith and consisting of a lever having an inwardly-turned grippingedge, and a cross-bar having its ends loosely connected with the ends of the frame and forming a'fulcrum for the lever which it carries, and a stationary spring clamping-plate located on the upper portion of the frame and having its inner edge turned inwardly to extend beyond the corresponding edge of the lever when the same is in its operative position and constructed to yield to receive the said edge of the clamping-piece under it, substantially as described, and whereby the webbing is laterally clamped between the clamping piece and the clamping-:plate and the former prevented from slipping down and rel'CO leasing the webbing when the same is slack- 

